[gregg]

Live Session Now Closed - Thanks for all the great questions and participation.

Mtbr.com may have more of these in the future.

>>Thanks for your participation.

>>Mtbr.com

>>For more information about Alison Dunlap and her Coaching program visit her website: www.AlisonDunlapCoaching.com

>>>>Thanks for the good pre-questions.

>>>>>>Mtbr is excited to announce an exclusive live forum experience with Pro Mtn Biker, Olympian and World Champion Alison Dunlap.

>>>>>>We invite you to participate and feel free to ask Alison questions about her career, how she trains, the sport of mountain biking and more.

>>>>>>Thanks.

 

[ArmySlowRdr]

Alison,

Sorry I can't be on live but work beckons.

Let me say thanks for doing this. Let me play like the interviewer in "Road" Magazine and ask you:

Gu Chomps or Sharkies?

XTR or XX?

On your pizza: Anchovies or Banana Peppers? Why?

One more: Is powertap and HR Monitoring over-rated for the weekend warrior?

Well I lied: MTBR, Ridemonkey, or Pinkbike?

Take care; ride hard.

 

[musikfan]

waiting on the east coast....


For Pro cyclists, how much factor is the bike in the results? Can you or say KatieC ride any bike frame, any wheels and still kill the competition?

If you had to list 5 things for someone to do to improve their mountain bike racing results, what are those things?

If you could divide up your time for the Ultimate life? how would it be divided in percentages?
ex: 20% coaching, 40% racing ......etc?

what do you think makes a successful bike racer?

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

Hey all, thanks for being here - we'll get this ball rolling in just a few minutes! Hang tight for just a bit longer...

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

Hey ArmySlowRdr, nice interview tactics! Here are a few answers:

Chomps or Sharkies: Neither! Shot Bloks, of course.
XTR.
Banana Peppers! Why? I like a little bit of zing.
Definitely not. For someone that has very little time to train, you don't want to waste any of your time on the bike. An HR monitor or power meter lets you be most effective and efficient with your training.
MTBr... where else would you find me?

 

[gregg]

Okay, Alison, thanks for joining us today! We are very excited to have you here.

Please feel free to start with the first quesions posted above.

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

MusikFan:
How much of a factor is the bike? Yes, the bike can play a big role in results if you're talking a 28 lb. bike vs. an 18 lb. bike. However, elite pros, when they have good legs, can win on any bike, any parts, any wheels.

Five things:
1. Get a coach!
2. Improve your nutrition.
3. Ride
4. Interval workouts - hard but necessary
5. Do more races.

Mmm, ultimate life? 80% on the bike, 20% work.

Successful bike racers are dedicated, persistant, and have a passion for the sport.

 

[musikfan]

thank you!

 

[yeti1851]

HR okay?

Is a HR monitor enough or should a power meter be used for optiumm training results?

 

[DebInDenver]

Alison: What are some of your favorite on and off-road rides around the country?

 

[ingluis]

Hi Alison,

What has been your favorite XC race course?
What has been you favorite recreational ride/epic day etc.?
What was your most scary experience on a bike?
Where have you found the best MTB "culture"?
Beer or wine?

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

Yeti - if you can afford a power meter, that's much better than an HR monitor. But if you're on a budget, you can train effectively using an HR monitor. For 18 years I raced using an HR monitor and it worked for me! These days, however, I use a power meter - no going back!

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

ingluis:
Fave XC course: Houffalize, Belgium
Fave Rec ride: Monarch Crest Trail, Colorado - along the Continental Divide above treeline!
Scary Exp: Becoming hypothermic in 30* weather, pouring rain, on a seven-hour training ride because I didn't have the right clothing. Don't try at home!
Best MTB culture: Colorado has the best overall MTB culture that I've found!
Beer or wine: Red wine...

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

Hi Deb!
Fave Road ride: Road to Hana in Maui. This ride is high up on the cliff walls overlooking the ocean - super twisty-turny, lots of steep climbs and descents. Very narrow. Beautiful! It's like riding your road bike for six hours in a tropical paradise.
Fave Off-road: Colorado Trail from Molas Pass to Durango. I love this ride because most of it is above treeline - the view are spectacular. The wildflowers are out of control; the trail is technical and physically very demanding; all of which makes for an amazing day on the bike.

 

[lawndale]

hi

do you bike commute ?

also if some one was to heckel you what would a good saying be

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

Lawndale: Well, since I work from home, my only commute is from the bedroom to the kitchen to the office! I do ride my bike downtown to go to the store, the post office, and other such errands, though.

Heckling? Hmmm... I would hate to be called "pack fill"!

 

[Kitboo]

Hi Alison,

When you train with a power meter, what kind of bike test to you do? That is, what parameters are you measuring? V02max power, lactate threshold power, max power sustainable for 1 minute?

What kind of intervals do you do when you are training for a race?

When you are racing, are you looking at your power meter at all for pacing or is it just for post-race analysis?

Thank you in advance for entertaining my power geek questions!

 

[brmcc]

Hi Alison. Thanks for taking questions. Wondering what your thoughts on off season training were. Lots of snow in Colorado now, so outside time on the bike is limited. Do you think some easy nordic skiing or backcountry ski tours are and OK substitute for base miles this time of year?

 

[Alison Dunlap Coaching]

Hey Kitboo -

When you start training with a power meter you need to do a field test. From the field test results, you'll determine your power level at lactate threshold. From this info, you can then determine all your other training (power) zones. For example, when someone signs up as a member of Alison Dunlap Coaching, the first thing they receive is a field test to determine their power (or heart rate) zones.

Intervals? Depends on the race. For cyclocross, which just finished up for the year, I do a lot of high-power, anaerobic, super-short intervals with very little recovery time. If you're training for a 100-mile MTB race, then you'd want to do more lactate threshold intervals that are 15-30 minutes long.

When I'm racing, I don't look at my power meter. There's too much going on to focus on that - I use it more for post-race info. However, during a road time trial (for example), you could look at the power meter to better gauge your output.

No problem!

 

[itchyjesus]

You are 28 miles away from home and out of food. You still have 6000 feet of climbing to do before you descend back to your door. 2 kind strangers offer you some food. One has Beef jerky and a Red bull. The other has a snickers bar and some sardines. What would you eat?